43 Seven Dwarves
1312 Words
Janus and the workers recovered three dwarves from the pit. They tied them up along with the other three who were still cursing and arguing.
He ordered the six dwarves to be tied up next to the first one they caught. Meanwhile, Janus inspected the weapons they carried, which was now sprawled on a pile in the ground.
The weapons had an interesting design. It was quite different from the craftsmanship of the goblins. The goblins were focused on function over form to a fault. They worked well, but you wouldn't be excited about displaying their crafts as ornaments. The goblin aesthetic was its lack of aesthetic. Goblin weapons were crooked and chaotic, you would be hard-pressed to find something of their design as 'pretty'. They were more quirky than anything.
The weapons displayed before him were clearly created by an artisan master. Intricate depictions of animals and dwarves decorated each weapon. There was a halberd with an eagle wing blade. There was a hammer with ram horns designating its their blunt head. One axe was gilded ever so slightly in the handle. It depicted dwarves digging in a cave with cartoonish but elegant drawings.
Janus collected these items to the Golden Library for points before moving to where the prisoners were tied up.
Another crowd had gathered here, this time larger than the first one. New Galedon was excited to check out another spectacle. A total of seven dwarves all tied up in newly constructed posts dug into the ground. They were surrounded by a mass of curious humans and goblins alike, but their voices were louder than any one group.
"It's your fault were in this predicament Oggie! What do you have to say for yourself?" said one.
Oggie tried to shout but the gag still held tight. A slew of muffled noises came out of his mouth. The words were unintelligible but you could hear the fury in his tone.
"Haha! Look what happened to ye lad, did they gag you for your excessive jeers and insults? Suits you well enough for your idiocy." Said another.
"Who are you calling an i***t when you're trapped here just the same? We shouldn't have been caught in the same trap as this fool. If only we tried negotiating. You know, like my plan?" sad a female one.
"Baahh you know how this lot gets when they wear their face paint and don their battle gear. Ain't no one from the Golden Rams backing down from a fight soon as they get dressed." Said another dwarf.
Janus' head ached from all the noise.
"Everyone stop talking or we'll throw you all in the pit and gag you!" Janus shouted.
The dwarves look shocked and they all stared at him with a vile look on their faces.
The crowd that had gathered was taken aback as well. Some hurriedly walked back to their work while some tried to hide so as not to be seen.
"Now if anyone of you is interested in answering my questions, I'll offer them a pot of stew." Janus said, trying to keep his composure.
"Suck on yer stew ya filthy maggot." Spat one of the dwarves.
"Yeah! Ain't no one of the Golden Rams will be snitching on our fortress ye damn fool!" said another.
"Stop it Ploog yer giving too much away!" said another.
"I ain't never tellin' ye even if ye give me ten sacks of food. Give me eleven though and we can have a talk."
"Shut up Bartok!"
"Barty yer the worse!"
"We ain't never telling ye anything ye goblin slavers. You can't take us as well!"
"We're not slaves you treestumps! Do you see any chains around us?" yelled a goblin as he displayed both his wrists.
"Shut up ye greensneers. What are ye doing amongst these humans then? Have they got ye by the bollocks?"
A cacophony of insults roared through the crowd. Janus was overwhelmed. Dwarf, human and goblin voices rang across the crowd. The situation was out of control. He didn't know what to do, he was tempted to just pick up an axe and let them go.
"Janus! What's the meaning are you doing just standing there? Why are these dwarves tied up like this?" said a loud and highly concerned voice.
Janus saw Yvaine squeezing through the crowd and running towards him in a hurry. Along with her he saw Master Ringo and other leaders in tow.
"Thank goodness." He mumbled as he sat down on the ground.
#
"Untie them immediately please, this is all unnecessary," Yvaine ordered.
"But Princess, what if they fight back? These dwarves charged at us fully armed and garbed for battle. These are violent folk." Said Captain Caleb.
"Try it, Princess, you'll see what these seven dwarves can do to yer backsides, ye filthy boresons." Said the one called Bartok.
"You wouldn't dare do anything, and no punishment is necessary. Elder Nanafell would take care of you." Yvaine said.
As soon as she said the name the dwarves were startled. Their faces lit up. They looked at each other in terror.
"How did ye... how did you know about Elder Nanafell?"
"Why of course they know about me son. I'm right here with them." Said another voice from the crowd.
A collective gasp aroused from the dwarves. Even Oggie who was gagged let out a muffled groan.
A figure emerged behind Master Ringo and the council. From all the dwarves that Janus saw today, she was the only dwarf that looked visibly old. She had a slouch and walked slowly with a gilded iron cain in her left hand. She was assisted by one male and a female dwarf who looked both stern and disappointed. Elder Nanafell was wearing a white robe and a large straw hat. She was walking as if in a leisurely stroll.
Her assistants led her to the shade and she sat down on a wooden crate and smiled. Her face had multiple creases, her hair was a shiny silver and she had large golden bands in each finger. The wooden crate looked like a throne by the manner in which she sat down on it.
"Captain, would you be so kind as to untie these seven idiots? They wouldn't dare do anything rash with me around. Boys and girls, you'll behave won't you?" she said with a voice that gentle yet creaky voice.
The captain signaled for the guards to untie all the prisoners.
"Oh my, how long has it been since I've been in the surface? Thirty years perhaps."
The dwarves knelt down before their Elder and bowed their heads.
"Nana It was my fault. I know you forbade me to do anything but the smell of their food was irresistible, and the prospect of having three meals a day for the fortress during the winter was something I could not pass for." Said Oggie.
"There there now child, it's good that you have seen the error of your ways. But after being disobeying the Elders and getting caught in such an embarrassing trap, and luring your friends along with you, you will have to suffer thirty lashings when we come home."
"No!" Oggie called out but he was not alone. Janus had shouted the word with him.
"Elder Nana, if you please. That is not necessary. Our only wish was to have a peaceful resolution without anyone getting hurt." Janus said.
The Elder looked at him.
"Is this the younger brother you were talking about, princess?"
"Yes Nana, he's the one who has been leading us in this settlement. Everything built and produced here was influenced by him."
The Elder studied Janus before looking around at the villagers and buildings around her. Hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
"That is high praise. You are wise dear Prince, I too intend to resolve this meeting peacefully but Pray, can we continue this conversation indoors? Us underground dwellers don't do too well being exposed under the sun. In fact, these seven stooges right here are the only ones in our tribe well suited for it."
"Certainly, let's move the discussions to the great hall." Said Yvaine.
- Writer
